Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fort Lee, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $31,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
187

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lee, NJ
Learn more

Fort Lee, NJ Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Fort Lee, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Fort Lee, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Fort Lee, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Phuket $1,278
Fort Lee, NJ $3,894

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $6,154 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Phuket $2,216
Fort Lee, NJ $6,154

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $8,415 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Phuket $3,154
Fort Lee, NJ $8,415

Living in Phuket costs roughly 67% less than in Fort Lee, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Fort Lee, NJ is 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$25.04 $25.04

-82.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$81.2 $81.2

-60.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$10.95 $10.95

-19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$5.35 $5.35

-47.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ฿29.40

$2.19 $2.19

-60.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$1.52 $1.52

-67.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$8.18 $8.18

-68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$8.02 $8.02

-54.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.33 $1.33

24.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.29

$3.84 $3.84

-61.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$6.79 $6.79

-77.91%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.63 $4.63

-54.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$12.55 $12.55

51.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$11.86 $11.86

-72.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$17.50 $17.50

-37.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.8

$5.45 $5.45

-46.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.77 $1.77

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$6.27 $6.27

-64.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$5.42 $5.42

-61.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$4.06 $4.06

-62.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.51

$3.92 $3.92

-64.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

$2.90 $2.90

-63.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.50

$2.73 $2.73

-80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$11.78 $11.78

-64.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$11.86 $11.86

58.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.71 $1.71

6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$2.03 $2.03

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.97

$2.71 $2.71

-46.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

$135 $135

-57.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.01 $3.01

0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.32

$2.10 $2.10

-51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$24.13 $24.13

-84.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.75

$0.86 $0.86

70.93%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.8K ฿903.2K

$27.6K $27.6K

-2.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K ฿900.3K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.4 ฿3,250

$215 $215

-55.26%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.26 ฿380

$75.8 $75.8

-85.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$64.2 $64.2

-73.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$127 $127

-46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$14.55 $14.55

-48.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.1K

$2,027 $2,027

-76.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$23.8K $23.8K

-52.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,103

$41.93 $41.93

48.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$57.6 $57.6

-50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,180

$77.6 $77.6

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,894

$84.5 $84.5

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$2,927 $2,927

-75.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$2,299 $2,299

-78.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$6,548 $6,548

-70.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$4,918 $4,918

-70.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

$4,299 $4,299

-2.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$3,727 $3,727

-18.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$6,606 $6,606

-92.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Fort Lee, NJ

$2.3K 59% 368% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Fort Lee, NJ

$438 11.2% 64.4% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Fort Lee, NJ

$355 9.1% 186% $231

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Fort Lee, NJ

$118 3% 3.4% $4.1

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Fort Lee, NJ

$369 9.5% 203% $247

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Fort Lee, NJ

$156 4% 89.6% $74

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Fort Lee, NJ

$159 4.1% 125% $89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $2,927 in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays about 13 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $81 in Fort Lee, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $438 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Fort Lee, NJ

🕒 Local time

20:26 8:26 PM

08:26 8:26 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

37,008

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Fort Lee, NJ 14,540 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Fort Lee, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Fort Lee, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 92% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $2,927 in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ – Phuket is about 67% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 58% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,894 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Fort Lee, NJ are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.